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Following a remarkable epoch of greater dispersion of wealth and
opportunity, we are inexorably returning towards a more feudal era
marked by greater concentration of wealth and property, reduced
upward mobility, demographic stagnation, and increased dogmatism.
If the last seventy years saw a massive expansion of the middle
class, not only in America but in much of the developed world,
today that class is declining and a new, more hierarchical society
is emerging. The new class structure resembles that of Medieval
times. At the apex of the new order are two classes-a reborn
clerical elite, the clerisy, which dominates the upper part of the
professional ranks, universities, media and culture, and a new
aristocracy led by tech oligarchs with unprecedented wealth and
growing control of information. These two classes correspond to the
old French First and Second Estates. Below these two classes lies
what was once called the Third Estate. This includes the yeomanry,
which is made up largely of small businesspeople, minor property
owners, skilled workers and private-sector oriented professionals.
Ascendant for much of modern history, this class is in decline
while those below them, the new Serfs, grow in numbers-a vast,
expanding property-less population. The trends are mounting, but we
can still reverse them-if people understand what is actually
occurring and have the capability to oppose them.
Following a remarkable epoch of greater dispersion of wealth and
opportunity, we are inexorably returning towards a more feudal era
marked by greater concentration of wealth and property, reduced
upward mobility, demographic stagnation, and increased dogmatism.
If the last seventy years saw a massive expansion of the middle
class, not only in America but in much of the developed world,
today that class is declining and a new, more hierarchical society
is emerging. The new class structure resembles that of Medieval
times. At the apex of the new order are two classes-a reborn
clerical elite, the clerisy, which dominates the upper part of the
professional ranks, universities, media and culture, and a new
aristocracy led by tech oligarchs with unprecedented wealth and
growing control of information. These two classes correspond to the
old French First and Second Estates. Below these two classes lies
what was once called the Third Estate. This includes the yeomanry,
which is made up largely of small businesspeople, minor property
owners, skilled workers and private-sector oriented professionals.
Ascendant for much of modern history, this class is in decline
while those below them, the new Serfs, grow in numbers-a vast,
expanding property-less population. The trends are mounting, but we
can still reverse them-if people understand what is actually
occurring and have the capability to oppose them.
In The Human City, internationally recognized urbanist Joel Kotkin
challenges the conventional urban-planning wisdom that favors
high-density, "pack-and-stack" strategies. By exploring the
economic, social, and environmental benefits of decentralized,
family-friendly alternatives, Kotkin concludes that while the word
"suburbs" may be outdated, the concept is certainly not dead. Aside
from those wealthy enough to own spacious urban homes, people
forced into high-density development must accept crowded living
conditions and limited privacy, thus degrading their quality of
life. Dispersion, Kotkin argues, provides a chance to build a more
sustainable, "human-scale" urban environment. After pondering the
purpose of a city--and the social, political, economic, and
aesthetic characteristics that are associated with urban
living--Kotkin explores the problematic realities of today's
megacities and the importance of families, neighborhoods, and local
communities, arguing that these considerations must guide the way
we shape our urban landscapes. He then makes the case for
dispersion and explores communities (dynamic small cities,
redeveloped urban neighborhoods, and more) that are already
providing viable, decentralized alternatives to ultra-dense urban
cores. The Human City lays out a vision of urbanism that is both
family friendly and flexible. It describes a future where people,
aided by technology, are freed from the constraints of small spaces
and impossibly high real estate prices. While Kotkin does not call
for low-density development per se, he does advocate for a greater
range of options for people to live the way they want at various
stages of their lives. We are building cities without thinking
about the people who live in them, argues The Human City. It's time
to change our approach to one that is centered on human values.
California is at a tipping point. Severe budget deficits,
unsustainable pension costs, heavy taxes, cumbersome regulation,
struggling cities, and distressed public schools are but a few of
the challenges that policymakers must address for the state to
remain a beacon of business innovation and economic opportunity.
City Journal has for years been cataloging the political and
economic issues of our nation's largest metropolitan areas, and in
this collection compiled and introduced by City Journal editor
Brian C. Anderson, the cracks in California's flawed policy plans
are displayed in detail, and analyzed by a diverse set of experts
in the state's design. The list of contributors includes: Steven
Malanga, William Voegeli, Joel Kotkin, Wendell Cox, Arthur B.
Laffer, Steven Greenhut, Victor Davis Hanson, Heather Mac Donald,
John Buntin, Ben Boychuk, Tom Gray, Andrew Klavan, Troy Senik,
Larry Sand, Michael Anton, and Guy Sorman. While there is plenty of
literature on California's history, topography, and attractions,
The Beholden State: California's Lost Promise and How to Recapture
It is the first book examining in rigorous detail how a place seen
just a generation ago as the dynamic engine of the American future
could, through bad policy ideas, find itself with among the highest
unemployment rates and poorest educational outcomes in the country.
The book is as thoroughly analytical as it is pragmatically
proscriptive, complete with policy solutions mapping the way
forward for a struggling state.
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